The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-09-02

anu ne FdHDleu from one lnlnS 10 an
other until Miranda, an old colored
woman who had always been old, and
always lived with the Groots, came
into the sitting-room to bring cider
and crullers, and to see the visitor.
She needed no spectacles 10 recognize
me, but while her eyes were as sharp
as ever, she had grown so deaf that all
my attempts to say pleasant things
were efforts made in vain. She trotted
back to the kitchen and heard her
cracking hickory-nuts. She remem-
bered how fond was of them.
Miranda is ageing fast, said Uncle
Eph, 'tand so we all are, except you
and Mary. Mary, she's thinking of
getting married in the spring, but we
don't know how we can spare her.
Did you pick up a sweethe art over
there in Europe?"
| shook my head and he added.
well, | guess it is just as good you
didn't. Getting married is a great
risk"
This was remark he had been MAX
ing for many years, and although he
was OF a simple, confding nature,
none of the designing country spinsters
or widows could cajole him out of his
bachelorhood. He seemed perfectly
satisfied to dwell under his brothers
roof and spoil his brothers children.
Mary and the rest used to impose upon
hint for he could refuse us nothing,
while Uncle George Groot, who owned
the farm, would sometimes scold us or
box our ears, Uncle Eph yielded to our
most unreasonable demands without a
murmur. He was well-to-do, like all
the family and the dairy was his spe-
cial care. He would start out before
daybreak to serve milk to his CUSTOM
ers in town, and return late in the
forenoon, reading the newspaper to the
music of the jingling empty tin cans.
Yes" he repeated, getting mar
ried is a great risk. l got married N.Y.
self just after you went away, but 1
hadn't ought to have done it, for 1 was
close on to sixty, and [ WANT cut out
for husband
'Marriedp' I exclaimed. 'Nobody
wrote me a word about it,"
''Well, it WANT much of marry,
bat I'll tell you about it before the
folks come home. George don't tax
the right view Of it; George, he dom t
more'n half know me-he don't I'M
derstand me at all. Now, it's cur us, ;"
Uncle Eph continued, in a reflective
tone, show there can be streak in a
man that don't show till he gets old,
and then all of sudden crops out. +"
He rose, and taking his pipe from the
mantel filled it neatly, pressing the
tobacco down with his blunt thumb.
81 s'pose, Janet, that you think I'm
a good-natered old fellow?"
Eyes, and kind o'given to soft-saw-
der, eh?" | nodded.
asy-going and cleverP Well, l
amt nothing of the sort. l like to talk
loud, and stomp, and swear, and chuck
plates.
He stood before me holding a match
until the sulphurous flame caught the
wood, picture of mild, serene, low
able old man. Because he was stay
ing in the house, he wore gay red
and yellow dressing gown and pair
of knitted slippers, and white hand
kerchief tied about his neck lent GER
tain benign look to his face. After he
had lighted his pipe, he took tea
spoonful of mixture from tumble on
the mantel and then sat down again
beside me, saying:
'You know the Berrys?"
"They keep grocery store in Clover
street, don't they?"
Eyes, old Peter used to keep the
store, and when he died his son Tom
run the business, and he got along
first-rate till he begun to drink. The
Berrys live next to the store, and it
was the last place on the milk route,
so could stop there while to gas
with old Mis- Berry and Louisa. Mebbe
you've seen Louisa - tall girl - has
curls, wears long earrings. Well, ]
used to get there about breakfast time,
and once in awhile I'd eat breakfast
with the women, and that's how it
started. Louisa she was always around.
ard she struck one as very pleasant
and sociable and sensible-and | liked
to hear her talkw-then. And | took
our egetablessand butter and eggs to
the store, and when Tom was drunk
I'd oversee the business a little. Old
Mis- Berry was awful weak about Tom;
she excused him as we'll as she could,
said he was sick, and | tell you she felt
bad when he died; so | married Louisa
and went to their house and run the
store. 1t was rel nice on the start,
though my folks were mad ut me
fact is, l got married without telling
George, and he abused Mis- Berry and
Louisa till had to give him q pretty
broad hint to hold his %ongue. There
was a considerable GOODNESS between
him and me for spell, and though he
was right enough in saying it was a
Tom-fool performance, he didn't real
ize that | was to blame, and that poor
Mis- Berry and Louisa would have sent
me q flying if they had knowed the
sort of a man was. They didn't, and
| didn't myself till it was too late.
lit begun by Louisa and her mother
trying to help me tend store, and
Lord! how mad was! The store was
their'n, so l bought it, and told 'em
I'd run it my own way; 1 was so afraid
of being bossed. Then in the house
they undertook to polish me up; wanted
me to wear necktie every day, and !
wouldn't do it. A necktie amt much
to fight about, is it? but Louisa, she d
give me that necktie and I'd stomp on
it, and then she'd cry, and then l was
mad as hornet You amt married,
Janet, and you don't realize how easy
it is for a man and his wife to get into
| hot water, and one with nv hasty